L. A. Radio Station Searched By Police

L.A. Radio Station Searched By Police

  Los Angeles radio station KPFK has charged that an eight-hour-long police search of the station's files two weeks ago has compromised the station's confidential news sources.

   Armed with search warrants, police searched virtually every drawer and file at KPFK October 11, allegedly in an attempt to find a tape recording sent by a group calling itself the "New World Liberation Front." The taped communique took credit for bombings of ITT holdings in San Francisco and Los Angeles earlier this month.

   According to station news director Carol Breshears, police made notes from confidential news files which contained the names and telephone numbers of news stringers and informants. 

   Police also reviewed copies of the Station's long distance phone bills, noting some of the numbers called.

   The station had offered to supply a copy of the recorded communique from the alleged underground group, but declined to surrender the original. The eight-hour search failed to uncover the original tape.

   The KPFK news department said it feared that police access to news contributors names would discourage them from reporting sensitive or controversial stories in the future.

--Zodiac